What Blacksmithing Creates

Most blacksmithing recipes are either weapons or plate armor. Mail patterns are created by Leatherworkers There are a few select other items a BS can make, most of which are enhancement items for weapons or shields, or materials for other tradeskills. They can also create keys to open locked chests.

What Blacksmithing Requires

Blacksmithing primarily requires ore and stone, which means most blacksmiths are also miners. To actually perform a combine, the blacksmith must often be near a forge or an anvil, and usually needs a Blacksmith's Hammer (from any trades goods vendor.)

Is Blacksmithing For Me?

Prior to Wrath of the Lich King, Blacksmithing was a profession most would go into for their own purposes. There's very little incentive for a mage or druid to want to be a blacksmith. However, the weapons and armor produced in many cases were merely on par with equipment for the level, which leaves most blacksmiths falling back on the "other stuff" like weapon chains and shield spikes, or waiting powering to max level for the epic items at level 70. Primarily only warriors take up Blacksmithing, and sometimes paladins or rogues. Now in Wrath of the Lich King, many of the level 70-80 items that can be produced are better than quest rewards or dungeon drops of similar level, so blacksmithing is now desired by a lot of plate-wearing classes.

In terms of making money, blacksmithing used to be terrible. In Wrath of the Lich King, it is infinitely more profitable than it has been at any time in the past.

Specialization

Beyond a skill level of 200 (and character level 40,) blacksmiths can choose to specialize as either an Armorsmith or Weaponsmith. Each has special recipes, and a long questline in order to acquire their specialization. Most smiths choose weaponsmithing for better overall rewards.

Weaponsmiths are able to further specialize as a swordsmith, axesmith, or hammersmith. You just need to speak to the appropriate NPC - the quests they offer are not required for the specializations.

WotLK Blacksmithing Changes

As with every release, Blacksmithing is getting new patterns to take advantage of the new ores and materials available in the uncharted zones. In addition to being able to craft new materials, however, blacksmiths will be able to add additional sockets to their own gloves and bracers. These additional sockets do stack with other enchants. However it should be noted that gaining the appropriate skill to socket items and then dropping blacksmithing will cause the sockets to go away.

Not only can Blacksmiths add sockets to their own gear, but in WotLK they are also able to sell Eternal Belt Buckles that will allow non-Blacksmithing players the ability to add a socket to a waist item. The mats for the Eternal Belt Buckle are easily farmed, or can be purchased for 30-50g on most servers, with the final product (the belt buckle) selling for 80-125g per buckle. Everyone who is serious about their character will be buying an eternal belt buckle every time they get a belt upgrade (the buckle cannot be transferred from one belt to another), so these are an endless source of profit.

New Items from Trainers

The main advantage to blacksmithing now is that about 95% of the new plans in WotLK are Bind on Equip and the gear which can be made is as good or better than quest reward items and dungeon drops at the equivalent level, so everyone who wears plate now buys from the blacksmith. Especially if you are a miner in addition to being a blacksmith, you can farm materials on your own quite readily to make all of these things, and turn an actual profit on 90% of the items on the list. Prot and DPS weapons, armor, and shields are more profitable than healing spec weapons, armor, and shields for the most part.

Blacksmiths can also make Cobalt Keys and Titanium Keys now. The titanium keys will open any lock requiring up to 430 lockpicking skill. It might seem a bit expensive to make a stack of 20 titanium keys, but it turns out to be cheaper than tipping a rogue to open 20 lockboxes. You can also GET tips for opening lockboxes.

If you are a miner and a blacksmith, Engineers can now make you a single tool that serves as a mining pick AND a blacksmith hammer. It is BoE and doesn't require engineering skill to use. The mats are cheap. Have an engineer make you one and save yourself a bag slot.